Holder for a cleaning device



March 966 J. CZERNIAWSKI 3,239,356

HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1964 United States Patent3,239,866 HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE Emil .lerzy Czerniawski, 60Davisville Road, London W. 12, England Filed Jan. 6, 1964, Ser. No.335,808 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 7, 1963, 772/63 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-176) The present invention relates to a holder fora clean ing device, and more particularly relates to a holder capable ofreceiving different kinds of cleaning devices, for example a broom head.

According to the invention there is provided a holder for a cleaningdevice, comprising a first elongate member having first and secondopposite side regions; a second elongate member which has first andsecond opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the firstside region of the first elongate member and connected in spacedparallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respectiveside portions of the first and second elongate members defining a firstelongate space therebetween for receiving a first support part of acleaning device; a third elongate member which has third and fourthopposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the second sideregion of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallelrelationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective sideportions of the first and third elongate members defining an elongatespace therebetween for receiving a second support part of a cleaningdevice; first and second elongate side pieces which are spaced from thesecond elongate member and which have respectively fifth and sixth endregions which are connected to the said first and second opposite endregions respectively, the first and second elongate side piecesextending towards one another from their respective fifth and sixth endregions but remaining spaced from one another; third and fourth elongateside pieces which are spaced from the third elongate member and whichhave respectively seventh and eighth end regions which are connected tothe said third and fourth end regions respectively, the third and fourthelongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respectiveseventh and eighth end regions but remaining spaced from one another;opposed respective side portions of each of the elongate side pieces andthe elongate member to which it is connected defining a narrow gaptherebetween for receiving and retaining a fabric support part of acleaning device; and means forconnecting a handle to the holder.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show by example howthe same may be carried into effect reference will now be made to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a holder for a cleaning device,

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the holder as seen in the direction indicatedby the arrow 2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the holder, the section being taken atthe line 33 of FIGURE 1 and seen in the direction indicated by the arrow2, there being a mopping device held by the holder,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG- URE 3, the moppingdevice having been replaced by a scrubbing-brush device, and

FIGURE 5 is a view of part of a modified form of the holder, andillustrates an alternative way of connecting a handle to the holder.

In FIGURE 1 a plastic frame or holder 1 is shown with three ribs 2, 3and 4 which define two spaces 5 and 6 between them. A handle 8 isattached to the rib 3.

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With reference to FIGURE 2, each pair of elongated adjacent ribs (2, 3and 3, 4) is so formed and connected together that an elongatedcross-shaped channel of uniform cross-section, open at one end of theholder and closed at the other end thereof, is defined between andparallel to each pair of ribs. The horizontal portions of thecross-shaped channels within the holder have a width greater than thatof the openings of the channels along the underside of the holder, thepurposes of which are to be described in detail later.

The holder is in addition formed integrally with four side pieces 21.These side pieces are attached one at each of the four corners of theholder (as seen in FIG. 1) and extend parallel to the longitudinalextent of the holder, so that a narrow gap, about inch wide, is definedbetween each side piece and the adjacent outer rib 2 or 4. The purposeof the side pieces is to provide simple gripping means for a moppingdevice, as illustrated in FIG- URE 3. The mopping device consists of anumber of comparatively short strands 23 of mopping material sewn acrossthe middle of a rectangular piece of backing fabric 22 of such thicknessthat parts of its border portions, on either side of the middle portion,may be slid into the gaps (via the open ends of those gaps) provided bythe side pieces 21, and gripped thereby virtue of friction and thenatural resilience of the side pieces, as indicated diagrammatically inFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an alternate form of scrubbing device suitable foruse with the holder. Scrubbing bristles 24 are carried in a solidbacking part 25 from the top of which project two ribs 26. These ribs 26extend the length of the backing part 25 and have a cross-shapedcross-section so as to enable them to he slid into channels 27 and 28from their open ends which are indicated in FIGURE 2, and supported onthe ledges 9, 10, 11. Thus the horizontal portions of the cross-shapedribs 26 will prevent upward and downward movement of the back part 25relative to the holder 1.

In this case the handle 8 is shown as being formed integrally with theholder, but it may alternatively be attached to the holder by beingscrewed into a tubular receiving part attached to the upper surface ofthe holder.

Alternatively again the handle could be hinged to the holder so that theangle between the handle and the upper surface of the holder can vary.This latter kind of handle can be separate from the holder, the endnearer to the holder being formed with a hole and there being twosupports on the centre rib having holes which correspond with the holein the end of the handle 8, and a peg or pin can be inserted through thethree aligned holes. Such an arrangement is shown in FIGURE 5, whichshows a tubular handle-receiving part 7 having the end thereof formedwith a hollow cylinder 16. The cylinder is placed in a gap 17 which isin a tubular part 18. A peg 19 is then passed through the parts 16 and18 and the handle is thus hinged to the holder.

The holder is clearly capable of receiving various kinds of cleaningdevices apart from sets of bristles. For example a piece of rubberhaving a suitable solid backing part could be inserted in the holder andused to remove water from a floor. As an alternative to the moppingdevice of FIGURE 3, cloths can be pushed through the two spaces 5 and 6and be gripped there by friction to enable the holder to be used formopping, polishing or dusting. Different sets of bristles may be used,the hardness of which bristles diifers from set to set; thus one set ofbristles can be suitable for sweeping the floor whilst another set ofbristles can be more suitable for scrubbing the floor.

Iclaim:

1. A holder for a cleaning device, comprising a first elongate memberhaving first and second opposite side regions; a second elongate memberwhich has first and second opposite end regions and which is disposedadjacent the first side region of the first elongate member andconnected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member;opposed respective side portions of the first and second elongatemembers defining a first elongate space therebetween for receiving afirst support part of a cleaning device; a third elongate member whichhas third and fourth opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacentthe second side region of the first elongate member and connected inspaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposedrespective side portions of the first and third elongate membersdefining an elongate space therebetween for receiving a second supportpart of a cleaning device; first and second elongate side pieces whichare spaced from the second elongate member and which have respectivelyfifth and sixth end regions which are connected to the said first andsecond opposite end regions respectively, the first and second elongateside pieces extending towards one another from their respective fifthand sixth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; third andfourth elongate side pieces which are spaced from the third elongatemember and which have respectively seventh and eighth end regions whichare connected to the said third and fourth end regions respectively, thethird and fourth elongate side pieces extending towards one another fromtheir respective seventh and eighth end regions but remaining spacedfrom one another; opposed respective side portions of each of theelongate side pieces and the elongate member to which it is connecteddefining a narrow gap therebetween for receiving and retaining a fabricsupport part of a cleaning device; and means for connecting a handle tothe holder.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate members and theside pieces are together constructed as an integral member.

3. In combination a cleaning device having fabric support parts, aholder for the cleaning device, and a handle attached to the holder, theholder comprising a first elongate member having first and secondopposite side regions; a second elongate member which has first andsecond opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the firstside region of the first elongate member and connected in spacedparallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respectiveside portions of the first and second elongate members defining a firstelongate space therebetween for receiving a first support part of analternative cleaning device; a third elongate member which has third andfourth opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the secondside region of the first elongate member and connected in spacedparallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respectiveside portions of the-first and third elongate members defining anelongate space therebetween for receiving a second support part of analternative cleaning device; first and second elongate side pieces whichare spaced from the second elongate member and which have respectivelyfifth and sixth end regions which are connected to the said first andsecond opposite end regions respectively, the first and second elongateside pieces extending towards one another from their respective fifthand sixth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; third andfourth elongate side pieces which are spaced from the third elongatemember and which have respectively seventh and eighth end regions whichare connected to the said third and fourth elongate end regionsrespectively, the third and fourth elongate side pieces extendingtowards one another from their respective seventh and eighth end regionsbut remaining spaced from one another; opposed respective side portionsof each of the elongate side pieces and the elongate member to which itis connected defining a narrow gap therebetween; the fabric supportparts of the first-mentioned cleaning device being received and retainedwithin the narrow gaps between the side pieces and the respectiveelongate members.

4. In combination a holder according to claim 1, and an elongate handleattached to the holder and extending substantially perpendicularly tothe longitudinal axes of the elongate members.

5. A holder according to claim 1, the holder having an upper side and alower side, wherein opposed respective side portions of each adjacentpair of said elongate members define an elongate channel which is ofsubstantially uniform cross-section, which has one open end and which isopen along the lower side of the holder, the width of the channelopening along the lower side of the holder being less than a parallelwidth of the channel within the holder.

6. In combination a holder according to claim 5 and a cleaning devicehaving a support part which is located within one of the channels andwhich has a width greater than that of the channel opening along thelower side of the holder, the cleaning device having a further partwhich projects below the lower side of the holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 492,339 2/1893Satterwhite 15226 X 1,377,464 5/1921 Clark 15177 FOREIGN PATENTS 584,22210/1958 Italy.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE, COMPRISING A FIRST ELONGATE MEMBERHAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE SIDE REGIONS; A SECOND ELONGATE MEMBERWHICH HAS FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE END REGIONS AND WHICH IS DISPOSEDADJACENT THE FIRST SIDE REGION OF THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER ANDCONNECTED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER;OPPOSED RESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATEMEMBERS DEFINING A FIRST ELONGATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING AFIRST SUPPORT PART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; A THIRD ELONGATE MEMBER WHICHHAS THIRD AND FOURTH OPPOSITE END REGIONS AND WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENTTHE SECOND SIDE REGION OF THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER AND CONNECTED INSPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER; OPPOSEDRESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND THIRD ELONGATE MEMBERSDEFINING AN ELONGATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING A SECOND SUPPORTPART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATE SIDE PIECES WHICHARE SPACED FROM THE SECOND ELONGATE MEMBER AND WHICH HAVE RESPECTIVELYFIFTH AND SIXTH END REGIONS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE SAID FIRST ANDSECOND OPPOSITE END REGIONS RESPECTIVELY, THE FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATESIDE PIECES EXTENDING TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE FIFTHAND SIXTH END REGIONS BUT REMAINING SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; THIRD ANDFOURTH ELONGATE SIDE PIECES WHICH ARE SPACED FROM THE THIRD ELONGATEMEMBER AND WHICH HAVE RESPECTIVELY SEVENTH AND EIGHTH END REGIONS WHICHARE CONNECTED TO THE SAID THIRD AND FOURTH END REGIONS RESPECTIVELY, THETHIRD AND FOURTH ELONGATE SIDE PIECES EXTENDING TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER FROMTHEIR RESPECTIVE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH END REGIONS BUT REMAINING SPACEDFROM ONE ANOTHER; OPPOSED RESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF EACH OF THEELONGATE SIDE PIECES AND THE ELONGATE MEMBER TO WHICH IT IS CONNECTEDDEFINING A NARROW GAP THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING AND RETAINING A FABRICSUPPORT PART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING A HANDLE TOTHE HOLDER.